Tailem Bend Solar Power Project

The Tailem Bend Solar Power Project is a solar power farm near Tailem Bend in South Australia. It has 108MW of generation capacity but is limited to supplying 95MW to the national grid. An additional 85MW is proposed in stage 2.[3] It is developed and owned by Singapore-based Vena Energy, a new name for the former Equis Energy following acquisition by Global Infrastructure Partners in January 2018.[4] The output will be sold to Snowy Hydro for retail sale under its Lumo Energy brand.[5] Stage 2 is also expected to provide battery storage.[6]

Tailem Bend Solar Power Project
Tailem Bend Solar Farm
CountryAustralia
LocationTailem Bend, South Australia
Coordinates35.28°S 139.49°E / -35.28; 139.49
StatusOperational
Construction beganApril 2018[1]
Commission date30 May 2019
Construction costA$200m
Owner(s)Vena Energy (subsidiary of Global Infrastructure Partners)
Operator(s)Vena Energy
Solar farm
TypeFlat-panel PV
Collectors391,500[2]
Site area200 hectares (490 acres)
Power generation
Nameplate capacity95 MW (licence limit)

The solar farm covers 200 hectares (490 acres) of land with more than 390,000 photovoltaic solar panels.[7] The panels are mounted on fixed-angle racks.[8] The site is a joint development between Equis and Snowy Hydro. Snowy Hydro also had plans to establish a 28MW diesel generator at the site.[9]

UGL Limited was contracted in February 2018 to build the first stage, which was expected to be connected to the power grid in the first quarter of 2019. A second stage to generate an additional 111MW is also being planned.[10]

The Tailem Bend solar farm received its generation licence on 30 January 2019,[2] and was expected to start commissioning in February, with full production from mid-April. Its theoretical capacity is 108MW, but the licence limits it to 95MW to ensure it can deliver reactive power to the grid. The 95MW Tailem Bend solar farm began production on 4th March 2019[11] and officially opened on 30th May 2019.[12] Vena Energy expects to proceed with the completion of stage two of the Tailem Bend solar farm, which will be similar in scale to the first stage. Vena Energy also has plans for a Tailem Bend Battery Energy Storage Project. The plan for a nearby diesel generator has been dropped.[13]

References
  1. "Tailem Bend Solar Project" (PDF). Tailem Topics. Tailem Bend Progress Association. September 2018. p. 20. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
  2. Essential Services Commission of South Australia (30 January 2019). "Electricity Generation Licence". Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  3. "New Developments". Australian Energy Market Operator. 10 May 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  4. "Equis Energy changes name to Vena Energy". Asian Power. Charlton Media Group. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
  5. Parkinson, Giles (14 February 2018). "Equis gets finance for 127MW solar farm in South Australia". RenewEconomy. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  6. Mazengarb, Michael (30 May 2019). "Tailem Bend solar farm officially opens, now for second stage and battery". Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  7. "Tailem Bend Solar Farm". Aussie Renewables. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  8. Jacobs Group (Australia) Pty Limited (23 December 2016). "Tailem Bend Solar Project" (PDF). Development application. Government of South Australia. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  9. "Tailem Bend solar farm will boost Lumo Energy push into SA market". ABC News. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  10. Strathearn, Peri (20 February 2018). "Tailem Bend solar power plant: Equis Energy contracts UGL to build $200 million facility". The Murray Valley Standard. Fairfax Regional Media. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  11. Vorrath, Sophie (4 March 2019). "South Australia's second biggest solar farm begins production". RenewEconomy. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  12. Mazengarb, Michael (29 May 2019). "Tailem Bend solar farm officially opens, now for second stage and battery". RenewEconomy. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  13. Parkinson, Giles (4 February 2019). "South Australia's second big solar farm gets generation licence, to start production". Renew Economy. Retrieved 4 February 2019.


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